The Best

by Peter Passell

The best movie critic, the best chess player other than Bobby Fischer, the best pizza, the best police precinct in New York, etc.

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1974

Reviews

[Julio The Fox]

Why not the best? In an era of mediocrity, why not champion elitism and go for the gold in food, drink, airlines and greasy spoon restaurants? Highlights of this collection include "The Best Richard Nixon Quote ("Sure, there are dishonest men in local office. But there are dishonest men in national office too") Best Film Critic, the late John Simon, who seldom met a film or film star he didn't hate ("Candice Bergen's non-acting continues to not improve"), Best Hamburger in America (It's found in Pittsburgh, believe it or not) and Best World War I General ("Sort of like picking the most honest member of the Harding Administration").

[Hedlun]

This is another in my new category of "books to read so we can get them off our basement shelf." It was given to me 12 years ago by a friend who had bought it new . . . in 1974. I skipped some of the sections that were totally irrelevant to me ("The Best Underrated Opera") and skimmed others that were obsolete ("The best sports car for under $7,000"). It was interesting to me that some things were considered "the best" when I was born and remain highly regarded today (newcomer JIF peanut butter edged out former champ Peter Pan). There was also mention of the best zero emissions transportation, though an electric car wasn't on the radar at that point. What was especially interesting about that section was the assertion that the big three had the means to develop a zero or low emissions product even then, just not the motivation.

[Andy]

Half antiquated consumer guide, half proto-lifestyle magazine editorializing. It's fitfully amusing in places -- there's a few good anecdotes, including one about the London phonebook -- but in other places, deadpan to the point of inscrutable. The author was a young guy a few years out of Yale, so it's got a somewhat Establishment flavor to it. If your library has limited space for idiosyncratic reference materials of the 1970s, stick with the The People's Almanac or The Book of Lists.

[Farrah]

Hoping to gain context into the underbelly of 1970s favorites, this was droll and irrelevant. The best "strategy for investing in wine", really? Tennis anyone?